Page 1904 - Week 07 - Thursday, 31 May 1990
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One of the most important things is to recognise - and I understand the Federal Government is doing so - the value of our teachers and to stop the brain drain from our schools. At the moment our quality teachers are finding that they simply cannot afford to remain in schools. In fact, on Sunday an old colleague of mine told me that on Monday he was starting work with the Department of Defence. This man had a PhD in physics and was an absolutely wonderful teacher, but he simply could not afford to remain in teaching; he could not afford to continue putting in incredible hours and getting paid at that sort of level. Far better for him to become a public servant and work in the defence area.
There is an old poster around that compares the Australian defence forces with our education system and points out how interesting it will be when our values are sorted out - when, in order to buy a bomber, we will need to hold fetes and so forth, as we do to raise funds for our schools. This is not particularly relevant to the Government here on a local level but, in terms of our overall concepts and priorities, it is rather important.
In terms of the community participation that the Minister mentioned, I think it is most important that he should look very carefully at what his department is doing in referring to the parents as clients. He should try to re-establish the notion of parents as partners because of the difference in the power arrangement and who is doing what for others.
With reference to literacy and numeracy, the Minister talks about monitoring. Monitoring is important; we need to know where we are and where we stand. But there was no comment as to exactly how we should attempt to improve literacy and numeracy. Of course, this is something that teachers work on constantly and it is something that is monitored by the Australian Council of Educational Research. This monitoring indicates that our schools have been improving in that area over the last 30 years, despite what an occasional businessman or Defence Force person comes out and says. I must add that it is ironic that in the last line of the section on literacy and numeracy there is reference to a community-wide consultation process and the word "community" is misspelt.
Mr Wood: We are waiting for a paper on this. It should be out soon?
MR MOORE: Of course; at any time.
I will just move on quickly to the curriculum policy statement. Here is the emphasis that I was looking for:
The statement will emphasise the partnership in curriculum between the Department and the school community.
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